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Midget Hounds to rely on speed, goaltending

The head coach of the Soo Greyhounds Major Midgets admits he's somewhat unsure as to what to expect from his Great North Midget League team this season.

A year ago, the Hounds finished the regular season with a 26-7-2-1 (wins, losses, overtime losses, shootout losses) record.

However, the Hounds lost some of their top talent to graduation.

"But I think we'll surprise some teams,” Kevin Panco said Thursday, one day before his club is slated to open the 2017-2018 GNML season. “We have good speed up front and we have great goaltending. I think we'll be okay.”

The Hounds are set to entertain the Kapuskasing Flyers Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

All three games are scheduled for John Rhodes Community Centre.

Panco spoke of how he's excited about the team's young netminders, Andrew Uschenko and Dawson Hunter.

Up front, the coach said he'll rely on the likes of left-winger Caleb Wood, right-wingers Colby Arbour and Parker Morgan and centres Avery Rebek, Raf Praysner and Dale Armstrong.

On the blue-line, the team does have some question marks.

"That concerns me a little,” the coach said of his defensive unit.

Following weekend play, the Soo is home for a fourth straight game to begin the season.

The Hounds are slated to play host to the Nickel Capital Major Midget Wolves on Wednesday.

Start time at the Rhodes Centre is 7 p.m.

Meantime, the city's other GNML entry, the Soo Minor Midget Thunderbirds, open their regular season at home next weekend.

The T-Birds are slated to entertain the Timmins Majors a week from Saturday in a 6:30 p.m. Rhodes Centre start.